Greenridge

'Blackthorn' movie review

2011-12-29T22:14:00.000-08:00

'Blackthorn' movie review -- 'Blackthorn' showtimes - The Boston Globe

Playing the aging outlaw Butch Cassidy, Sam Shepard isthe nominal star of “Blackthorn,’’ and he’s fine - grizzled and laconic in thebest western tradition. He keeps getting upstaged by the cinematography,though.

The movie’s an international coproduction that marks thefeature directing debut of Spanish screenwriter Mateo Gil (“Open Your Eyes,’’“The Sea Inside’’); he and director of photography Juan Ruiz Anchía filmed inthe high country of Bolivia, and the thin mountain air seems to have seepedinto the camera. Each frame is a crystalline jaw-dropper that places thesmallish actions of men within a vast canvas of lush jungle, lunar salt flats,Andean snow, and desert sand. The result is a pretty good movie that almostlooks better than it needs to.

It plays like a Sergio Leone spaghetti western with thecynicism replaced by exhaustion and regret. Butch falls in with a hapless civilengineer, Eduardo (Spanish heartthrob Eduardo Noriega), who has stolen $50,000from fat-cat mine owners and is being tailed by a particularly mean posse. Themost satisfying moments in “Blackthorn’’ let us see Butch through the youngerman’s eyes, as Eduardo slowly comes to appreciate the depth of the outlaw’smastery. He still doesn’t know who this old gringo is, but he’s definitely somebody.

After a while, Gil lets the movie stall in a sort ofhigh-plains drift, and he lets the camerawork do most of the heavy lifting. Youdon’t mind. There’s a beautiful showdown on the salt flats in which Butchdoesn’t outshoot a pursuer so much as outlast him, each man on his straining,plodding horse.

Cleopatra, Rome, Alexandria - A Life

2011-12-27T11:50:00.001-08:00

Read in December, 2011

Cleopatra: A Life (Hardcover) Stacy Schiff - Little, Brown

I spent all day yesterday reading this book. There are so many reviews here, I thought I would just add the point that I learned so much about Egypt and Alexandria, its wealth and beauty. I could feel the warmth and salt air. Sad to think the old city is so gone, so much under water now. I loved this book. Didn't think Schiff could improve on "Vera". Wonderful writer! I had a little trouble getting started, but when I did I couldn't stop. This book makes so clear the rough and poor quality of the city of Rome at the time, in comparison to Alexandria. And Schiff is a genius to have brought Cleopatra to life with so many gaps in the sources. I really wondered when our book club chose it to read, why such a well-worn old story. Then the towering queen came to life with all her strength, education, languages, pageantry. Wonderful book!

Review of film "Beginners" Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer

2011-12-25T08:48:00.000-08:00

Gattopardo Dec 24/2011 - I didn't like this movie. I thought Christopher Plummer played a selfish man who only had a passing interest in why his son could make no commitments. I was more interested in the mother -- I'd like to know why she stuck with her bad deal of a marriage. I also could not get a clue as to why the son loved his father so much. The gay factor in all this was not done well I felt. A man as closeted as Plummer might come out, but with all this fanfare? Also, the son's girlfriend was too phony. And this ridiculous situation - the fancy hotel, the girl's arch mannerisms - ecch. And this was supposed to represent his coming to terms with a solid relationship? The young men driving around town painting on buildings for fun? The odd filming techniques and pastiches intercut in the filming? Why did none of the reviews warn us?
The only thing that kept us watching was the charming dog, Arthur; an adorable Jack Russell terrier.

The Hare With Amber Eyes

2011-12-09T13:18:00.001-08:00

I loved reading this book written by a perceptive and caring artist about his family and their history. Edmund de Waal writes about the Ephrussi with such attention to detail about their homes, their cities (Paris, Vienna, Odessa, Tokyo) and the objects they owned and clothes they wore. It was like poetry to read his analyses of why certain objects (a collection of nearly 130 netsuke the author inherited provide a linking cord through the novel) can have meaning and influence. I've never encountered a book quite like it. The larger story is the family moving from great wealth to poverty during World War II, but the author has closed in with skill show their daily lives and the art objects they collected, books they read and all the fascinating friends they knew. The Parisian Charles Ephrussi never worked in the family banking business (they were on a par with the Rothschilds), he knew Proust (who had a character in his books based on Charles). He knew Renoir (and many of the Impressionists). He is even in Renoir's painting Bathers on the Seine (gentleman in a top hat). I bought the book in paperback at Costco recently. I am sad that it is over, but the holiday season beckons, nay demands, my attention now.

The Fifth Witness - Michael Connelly

2011-11-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

This was a fun fast legal thriller and a grabber of a read. Mickey Haller (The Lincoln Lawyer) gets into various aspects of the foreclosure epidemic and legal maneuvers that are interesting and informative too. There are lots of topical references, Facebook, Software thievery, Hollywood film tie ins to big name legal trials. The name of the book itself was interesting. Quite a fun read for a rainy weekend.

Thoughts on "A Suitable Boy"

2011-10-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

It was quite a different experience for me reading this book. It took me two months or so. I never wanted to skip over so much as a paragraph, but after a few pages I was drowning in words, images, unfamiliar names for people, flowers, trees, clothing, etc. It must be the way a child feels learning a language when things just wash over you. I found that with such a big book to hold that I would sit in a reading chair with good light - I'd get up an hour early in the mornings to read. It was like a total immersion class on India. The author could tie in music, religion, politics, poetry, festivals and people in such a miraculous way. I read that the author's father worked for a shoe company. I also read that he is working on another novel, "A Suitable Girl." You really couldn't make a single movie based on this book. It would have to be a series and cover several seasons. Many many thanks to my friend Dildar Gill Pisani who recommended this book! (See below)

Sal's Grandmother - Stage Name Brunetta

2011-10-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

Sal's Grandmother, Amelia Cantalupo Ferrari was a music hall singer in Italy and specialized in declamations and recitations from famous plays and poetry. She came to San Francisco in 1925 and often appeared at Fugazi Hall in North Beach.

Sal's grandfather Gennarino Cantalupo was a lyricist and pamphleteer, denizen of the street scene in Naples. He died during the Influenza epidemic of 1920. He liked the nickname of Gennarino Bianchi.

The youtube video (above) is of Montserrat Caballe doing an excerpt from the opera Adriana Lecouvreur. In the opera she plays a famous stage actress and singer. In this piece she is doing a recitation from Racine's Phaedra. The dramatic reading serves the double purpose of showing off her technique and incidentally insulting a woman at the party setting all sorts of craziness in motion. This moment reminded me of Sal's grandmother and her dramatic technique. It was she who got Sal involved in the ragazzi/boys onstage in various operas such as La Boheme and Carmen.

Marching to Lincoln Memorial

2011-10-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

I am reading "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth

2011-09-12T14:20:00.000-07:00

I am about halfway into "A Suitable Boy" and seem to spend a lot of time filling in at the computer looking at different clothes mentioned (kurta/dhoti/shalwar kameez), trees (pipal, neem, etc.) and different kind of paan. Hundreds of words and references don't really ruin the flow. He isn't a great writer, but the breadth of coverage of the minutiae of Indian life is wonderful. I am beginning to get a better feeling for the Hindu/Moslem differing lifestyles and feelings toward each other -- also various castes. I just read a part of the book where Lata, principal of many many characters, meets a man her mother likes very much, but Lata is put off because he is wearing "co-respondents shoes". I found a long exposition about that one on a review of the book at Amazon.com. If they put this 1400 pages book on a Kindle with a full glossary, I'd buy a Kindle. Definitely a book to read more than once. Sal is out for today's Singalong at Kenneth Aitken, so I am going to treat myself with a warm summer afternoon read. We had lots of fun Saturday watching the Cal Bears and yesterday the Niners, and loved seeing the Jets beat the Cowboys. Lots better when your favorites win!

Anna Deveare Smith - American Treasure

2011-08-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

We saw, heard and felt her recently at a Berkeley Repertory Performance.

http://www.ted.com/talks/anna_deavere_smith_s_american_character.html

I Clean Up the Neighborhood

2011-07-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

We had a Saturday clean-up day at the triangle entrance to our Greenridge Neighborhood. My job was the wall leading up the hill. I filled my bag with dried weeds.

Jaycee Dugard's "A Stolen Life"

2011-07-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Lee Dugard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a powerful book and read it in one gulp. Jaycee writes with a strong, simple and direct voice and I came to understand how she could have remained with her captors - the so-called Stockholm Syndrome. It was amazing how the abuse she suffered never changed some inner purity and sweetness in her character. There is something miraculous about her and her story. After reading it, there remain a million more questions you want to have answered.

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We go to the Farmer's Market

2011-06-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

Greenridge Video

2011-05-10T11:52:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN4-2BGszOQ

Little Bee

2011-02-27T21:18:00.001-08:00

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this for my book club and could never get the feeling it was real. The author has a story he wants to tell that points up problems of immigration (Little Bee) and shallow values (Sarah)and it fails for me in the same way that Poisonwood Bible did. Neither of the women or the places described seemed very real to me. There was some delicate and thoughtful writing here and there but all in all I would have been more moved by a straight journalistic piece on the whole subject.

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Goodreads Listing

2010-09-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

Interesting Flow Chart

2010-07-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

see more Funny Graphs

Netflix Review - Summer Hours

2010-04-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

On reflection we like this film more and more. It is about letting go of the past, the cultural and social changes in France, and for that matter all of Europe. Will we be sorry we threw away humble belongings that meant something to our parents in a headlong rush towards freedom to move from place to place and embrace the new? Are we to be frozen in place in our homes and be "curators of our own belongings"? The top review on this site by "RJP" can't be improved on. I would just add that there is a lot of dialog in the beginning, very fast French and subtitles whipping by. I love hearing French spoken but this took some effort. I loved the honesty of the film, no bad guys, just difficult decisions from a family with different needs. I thought the daughter interesting as she was almost "American" now -- how the siblings felt about that. I loved the fact that the offspring were conflicted in their views about the artwork of the almost too much adored (by their mother) uncle. It was interesting that their suspicions about the relationship were true but none of them wanted to accept or think about it. It was an amusing touch that the family housekeeper walked away (after having been given a free choice of what she wanted) with what she felt was not a valuable vase and was, on the contrary, extremely valuable. I loved the bit at the end when the older sibling visited the Musee d'Orsay to see their mother's objects (that had been donated as mother wished) displayed in a very stark, but effective, setting that exposed the full beauty of the furniture - but it looked "caged". Here is a film that raises many important questions and is far from just being a French language movie to pigeonhole as such. APR10

Netflix Review of "The Boys Are Back"

2010-02-21T12:27:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed this film a lot. Although it is annoying to watch the father (Clive Owen) indulging his younger son, it makes sense and you see Owen developing a better awareness of what is involved in being a father. We especially liked his growing relationship with his older son and how the father didn't give up after setbacks. We liked the photography and sense of place in the film and although it is slow and you don't agree with all his choices, we think it made a lot of sense and was absorbing to watch. FEB10

Think Government's Bad? Try doing without.

2010-01-28T13:11:00.000-08:00

This is the morning after the 2010 State of the Union Speech by Barack Obama. I decided to add the story below to my blog because it is so descriptive of why we need government:

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 (SF Chronicle)

Well, it's also your government, and to appreciate what that means, all you have to do is go outside and stand in front of where you live or work.

First, the sidewalk I'm standing on was poured and paved by city

government. So were Stanyan and Waller streets and all the streets running parallel and perpendicular to them. The sewers below are the work of government, as are the Municipal Railway power lines running above, the buses attached to the lines and the traffic lights, crosswalks, lanes (both auto and bicycle) and signs directing the traffic flow.

Drivers and the cars they operate are licensed by government. Automobile safety regulations, highway safety standards are all set by government.

Across Stanyan stands a McDonald's, its meat, dairy and other food

products subject to government inspection. Its food preparation is

examined by city health inspectors.

Next to the restaurant is a row of apartment buildings, all kept livable in adherence to government building codes and zoning regulations. Pipes bringing water in and sewage out of the apartments are financed and maintained by government. So are the streetlights.

Behind me is Golden Gate Park, a thousand acres of city-owned,

city-maintained parklands, set aside for the enjoyment of San Francisco's 750,000 residents and visitors from around the world. The park contains gardens, hiking trails, bike paths, a children's play area.

At the northern edge of the park is government-run Kezar Stadium, used for high school track meets and football games (and used by thousands of freelance joggers in between).

Behind Kezar is the San Francisco Police Department's Park precinct, providing public safety for citizens of the Haight and denizens of Golden Gate Park. Next to me is a call box for the San Francisco Fire Department.

On the hillside up Parnassus Street looms UCSF, where government-financed medical research, training for doctors, nurses and paraprofessionals takes place.

Overhead a commercial jetliner flies westward from

government-owned SFO, conforming to safety regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration, the guidance of federal air traffic controllers and the protection of federal air marshals and Homeland Security contractors.

You get the picture. We live in a civilized society with an array of

sophisticated public services (this account didn't even include the

military). Those who claim they don't need government should try living one day without it. Then, it is hoped, they'll stop advocating its starvation and pay their share.

Jeff Gillenkirk is a San Francisco writer. His novel, "Home, Away," will
be published in April by Chin Music Press.

Copyright 2009 SF Chronicle

The Van Akens 2009

2010-01-14T13:36:00.000-08:00

Mark and Dolores Van Aken -- I have been trying to add their edited photo to their Netflix site today. This is a test!

Christmas is Over!

2010-01-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Well, all the decorations have been stored away for another year and it is extremely pleasant to have the house back to a simpler state.
For local neighbors, I might suggest a new Ning website called: www.greenridgecv.ning.com . I didn't realize that "Ning" is evidently a social networking site and I already had a sign-in password I was using for the Netflix Community site (This is a site separate from Netflix for sharing info).

January Book Group Selection

2010-01-05T20:49:00.001-08:00

The Outcast by Sadie Jones

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I found this book readable and interesting once I put on my "protection from relentless pain and cruelty" shield. I agree with one reviewer here who called it an "Atonement" wannabe. Still, I guess it was realistic enough. I couldn't recommend it. Just read it because it was a Book Group pick.

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Have a life? Have a blog?

2010-01-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

I got three emails today advising me to update this blog. Son Greg tells me that if you post only once a week (or month?) you don't really have a blog. If you post several times a week, you don't have a life. OK, as soon as the Christmas stuff gets put away! Now I'll just post a picture of us this summer at the Cajun Music Sunday at Chouinard's Winery up Palomares Road! With us is June Wallace, Bruce Roeding and Ruben Anderson -- his wife Lillian is taking the picture.

"Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

2009-12-14T19:55:00.001-08:00

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been reading here (http://www.goodreads.com/) through other reviews, especially the ones who rated it low. Hirsi Ali has a way of remembering her childhood so vividly you feel you are experiencing it with her. You follow her emotional and rational life step by step until she reaches the point of apostasy.

For those who say Islam is similar to all religions, and time will soften the rough edges, I say look at her statistics. In just two regions of Holland they collected statistics of girls killed by their families in "honor killings" -- it came to 11 girls in one year -- out of what, 40 regions? In Holland? In this day and age? As she says, how long does a young girl have to wait? Looking at statistics from all over the world, I would agree with Hirsi Ali that this is a major issue of our time.

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Lionsgate releases "The Dead"

2009-11-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

Lionsgate released "The Dead" on video to a chorus of complaints that 10 vital minutes in the beginning of the film were inexplicably missing. They have recalled the DVD and will re-release the video later in November of 2009.

Here are some reasons to love this production:

James Joyce's "The Dead"—the final story in Dubliners—is considered one of the great short stories. It was also considered impossible to translate to film. It's a story of thoughts and interior monologues, a period piece without melodrama or pretty much anything in the way of action. The story climaxes with a middle-aged woman weeping over a memory of lost love triggered by hearing a folk song, and her husband ruminating to himself about the meaning of life. How could this ever be filmic and true to the spirit of Joyce?

It's the stuff of legend now—Huston directing from an oxygen tent, would not live to see the film's December 1987 release. His son, Tony, wrote the script (and received an Oscar nomination) and served as his father's assistant. Huston's daughter, Anjelica, was cast in the pivotal role of Gretta, and her scenes at the end—her quiet, pained reverie on hearing the song, and later, her emotional telling of the story of a young man who died for love of her—are just beautiful.

Donal McCann is very good as the slightly too-assured and responsible Gabriel. McCann is tasked with delivering the closing monologue, an almost five-minute speech taken almost verbatim from the story, which plays over simple scenes of a snowfall mixed shots of the actor's face and the character's thoughts and memories of the evening. Wisely, McCann and Huston let the words speak for themselves; as such, the words retain their power, unadorned.

Many of the roles are played by Irish stage actors and actresses (though Carroll is originally from Scotland), and their modestly heartfelt and authentic performances fit the bill very well. Huston's camera is unobtrusive, like another party guest, gliding from this face to that, panning slowly to an old woman's face as her eyes sparkle with the memory of an exceptional tenor she once heard, slipping at one point away and peeking around a room at the souvenirs of a life, the inconsequential things that tell so much about people. Huston knows these people, and he presents them with such affection. Through small talk and quiet interactions, Huston opens up an entire world, and by the end, these people are as familiar as they'd be if we'd always known them.

Castro Valley Library Grand Opening

2009-11-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

Castro Valley Library Grand Opening

Review of "Cheri" for Netflix

2009-10-31T22:51:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed this tremendously and Sal found it disturbing and somewhat boring. What can I say? I was madly in love with Colette and all her novels and writings as a teenager -- especially Cheri and the Last of Cheri. I felt Michelle Pfeiffer was a little too much the modern idea of a beautiful woman. I imagined Lea as a plush, comfortable woman (like Polly Walker from the series "Rome") who dealt with the loss of Cheri with more equanimity - as a woman ready to give up all the work of being constantly attractive to a man, letting herself go. Anyhow, the basic premise is fascinating -- a totally babied and cosseted young man is totally unprepared for life and cannot and will not face it. It is supposed to be a sad story. I thought Rupert Fried was perfect for the role. In fact, none of the reviews prepared me for the fact I did indeed very much enjoy this film though it could have been better.

Review of movie "Gone Baby Gone"

2009-10-30T21:45:00.001-07:00

We watched this tonight while channel surfing. This was our second viewing of the movie and if possible, was even more engrossing because now we knew the ending, we could re-evaluate the whole story. This was a great movie! Casey Affleck was so good as the young, sure-of-himself young man, Amy Ryan perfection as the airhead, druggy mother. This was good casting for so many actors, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, and so much fun to see Michael K. Williams in another role after playing Omar in The Wire. The setting of Boston was a great realistic backdrop for the story. The basic conundrum of the story makes you feel sad for a long time. OCT09

Colds and Flu

2009-10-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

THIS IS A KEEPER TO REFER TO

H1N1 flu is about to be upon us and we need to be on top of information regarding it. Here is a comparison to the normal cold symptoms that was sent to me. I'm not sure how accurate it is.

Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

Fever -- Fever is rare with a cold. Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.

Coughing -- A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches -- Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold. Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.

Stuffy Nose -- Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week. Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.

Chills -- Chills are uncommon with a cold. 60% of people who have the flu experience chills.

Tiredness -- Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold. Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.

Sneezing -- Sneezing is commonly present with a cold. Sneezing is not common with the flu.

Sudden Symptoms -- Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache -- A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold. A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat -- Sore throat is commonly present with a cold. Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.

Chest Discomfort -- Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold. Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

Cooking

2009-10-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm a lousy cook. Any recipe with more than 3 ingredients and over a paragraph of description and it becomes science fiction reading for me. My friend Dolores will often find an EXTREMELY simple recipe and give it to me. I love her pastina soup -- broth, pastina or orzo rice, shredded fresh zucchini -- boil a little, sprinkle on some parmesan. Heaven! I do love simple vegetable recipes (that's my assignment, along with cleanup). Sal usually decides what he'd like and cooks it and I always love it.

"Lean on Me" Twenty Years Later - Netflix Review

2009-10-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

We saw this last night while channel surfing. It is hard to believe it's been twenty years since Morgan Freeman made this film. It is a rah-rah approach to the problems of the inner city schools, though, and time has proved the problem is more complicated, but Freeman is a joy to watch. His great sense of warmth and dignity may well be the reason we (some of us) feel comfortable with a black President. The story seems a little simplistic now -- for a real depiction of the problem of the decaying inner city school and the hapless students and teachers, you have to see "The Wire" -- season Four I think. Still, we enjoyed every minute of "Lean on Me" last night. The subject was discipline, not actual learning, but we are always suckers for this kind of story. OCT09

"Capitalism: A Love Story"

2009-10-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

We fully support Michael Moore and always wish his films could be more successful. We came out of the theater yesterday feeling depressed. It is a sad situation -- the continuing and growing gap in this country between the very rich and the poor -- and the puzzling fact that the poor support the policies that are absolutely grinding them down and keeping them there. Moore genuinely cares that people should be given safeguards for their health, jobs and homes. But we felt he is making a weaker case for his views with each film he makes. We wanted so much for "Sicko" to have been a better film for instance. "Capitalism" misses the mark somehow. Despite his valiant efforts, I can't see the very people he is trying to help abandoning Fox News, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Lou Dobbs, Pat Buchanan, Sarah Palin. These people have a firm grip on the psyche of people who want to blame their problems on immigrants, "welfare cheats", people who are pro-choice, Hollywood degeneration of morals and god knows what else rather than see that they are being manipulated. Still, he keeps trying. We can only hope he doesn't give up. But the subject here, especially the specifics of the Bailout/Goldman Sachs, etc. seems too big, too global. Moore is hoping that people wake up, take control, stay in their homes, fight the system. He interviews several churchmen who discuss how greed and the tenets of Christianity don't mix. We need Michael Moore. I wish more people had been in the theater yesterday when we saw the movie.

Tosca Simulcast - with touches of Eurotrash

2009-10-12T14:24:00.000-07:00

First I have to say we thought Saturday's (October 10) simulcast of Tosca at the Hayward Theater (I hope not too many more people will discover this wonderful place to see Opera) was the most exciting, emotional and physical production of Tosca we have ever seen! After reading the Tommasini (New York Times) and Ross (New Yorker) reviews we thought we were going to hate it.

ACT ONE: Too dark, but Karita Mattila and Marcelo Alvarez just tore up the stage with their passionate singing -- you could believe these were two mature lovers who adored each other. It was annoying that the painting Cavaradossi was working on, a Madonna, had one bare breast, nipple obvious. Well, you try to ignore it -- the singing is so good. When Gagnidze comes on as Scarpia, he is gangbusters!!!! A large figure at the head of the stairs with touches of Javert and Mussolini! Great presence, great voice (remember we are talking movie theater here). The Te Deum a bit of a downer with too many people squeezed into a little space. Did Scarpia have to kiss the black Madonna? Oh well, try to ignore that.

ACT TWO: Scarpia is terrific,but do they have to show him dallying with prostitutes? His great aria is sung with one blond lady obviously giving him a blow job. Worst thing in the opera to me. Totally distracting and annoying. Tosca/Mattila is wonderful. The death scene is OK. Wouldn't want to see it that way again, though. And Alex Ross is right, after the murder she just dithers around. Downer.

ACT Three -- kind of a downer watching the soldiers march around pointing their rifles. I liked the productions that show morning sun coming up over the ramparts of the Castel Sant'Angelo -- and it makes the shepherd's song more moving. Again, Mattila and Alvarez tear up the stage, though it somehow deflates his last arias with stage business. The ending is weird with Tosca stuck in mid-air. I'm glad Ross warned us about this. Also, Ross was right that she can't attack the blood-curdling verbal thrusts such as, "Davanti a lui tremava tutta Roma" (I love that Steve Dimick uses this line to prove that Scarpia's first name is Louie). Anyhow, her softer diction slurs over these -- but that's OK, she is a wonderful Tosca. We used to have (probably still do, somewhere in the garage) several old 33 1/3 recordings of Tosca and Leontyne Price won the prize for her shriek of "Mario, Mario" when she discovers he is dead.

Ah, we Tosca nuts are legion.

The intermission interviews were just wonderful too. Loved Susan Graham. Loved that she pointed out that Mattila was wearing brown contact lenses over her blue eyes to make Tosca a latin beauty.

The whole experience restores your faith in art and life.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Netflix Review

2009-10-08T18:10:00.000-07:00

We got really misty-eyed. This movie (made for TV) might be manipulative and sentimental but it hits a strong chord. Dermot Mulroney gives up his Downs Syndrome baby because he had a tragedy in his past with a baby sister who had it. Emily Watson plays a woman who keeps and raises the baby. The baby brings her great happiness (and difficulties too). Mulroney's wife is gradually distanced from her miserable, conflicted husband. Their son grows up confused by the problems in his parents' lives. I haven't read the book, probably won't. But this is a powerful and satisfying movie. What's the moral? Maybe that being open with your closest loved ones and sharing the decisions is not always easy to do. OCT09

San Francisco Opera's Il Trovatore

2009-09-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

We saw Trovatore this Saturday night (September 19) -- it might be the only time we buy tickets this year, though I hope to see some dress rehearsals. We hope the people at the Ball Park enjoyed it as much as we did.

We saw three International Treasures sing, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Stephanie Blythe and the truly phenomenal Sondra Radanovsky. Her arias brought both Sal and I to memories of the days when we had season tickets in the 70's and 80's and saw (heard) the likes of Leontyne Price, Placido Domingo, Marilyn Horne, Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballe! She was just magnificent and her soaring "D'amor sull'ali rosee" brought tears to our eyes. Hvorostovsky was wonderful too in his signature aria, "Il Balen". We'd heard he was having voice problems, but we couldn't see (hear) it.

The staging was fine, but the costumes were iffy. Stephanie Blythe certainly didn't look like a gypsy -- no bangles, no earrings, no black stuff. She looked more than an amiable washerwoman who had come in from a production about the French Revolution. Marco Berti was good, but couldn't they have tarted him up a bit? A girdle, dark hair -- I know he's chubby, but when Leonora throws her life away for Manrico when sexy, virile, exciting Count De Luna is standing there radiating excitement (Hvorostovsky) it makes you wonder if she doesn't have a screw loose.

The fixed curtain/scrim (don't know what you call it) was wonderful with a huge copy of I think a Goya masterpiece of tortured, twisted faces.

I have included links to a couple of magnificent Youtube arias. It would be worth it to get a great audio system for your computer with woofer, and a good big screen. You might never go back to TV!!!

http://tinyurl.com/ngt4my Radanovsky sings "D'amor sull'ali rosee"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81z1YzH_994&feature=related

Radanovsky and Hvorostovsky, last act aria

My Reply to the Viral Email

2009-09-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

I find this letter upsetting, especially coming from a loved relative. Why would someone spend such effort to encourage fear, confusion and lies at such a difficult time for our country as this is? I really wonder if the right wing is just hoping that Obama is shot and killed.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
written by Lou Pritchett
former Proctor and Gamble Executive

Dear President Obama:

You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived
and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.

You scare me because after months of exposure, I know
nothing about you.
 How could you know nothing about Obama? Unless you choose to ignore the continual press and exposure day after day and believe only the anti-Obama websites? There are many responsible Republicans who try to fight this flood of smear — even McCain had to chastise a woman who called Obama a Muslim and not to be trusted. Even George Will says he knows too much about Obama and wishes he would stay out of the news!!!

You scare me because I do not know how you paid for
your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale
lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.

 The Obamas had student loans, grants and scholarships to pay for their education. The smears that suggest Israeli agents or Muslim big shots paid are unbelievable and have not a shred of proof. Almost until Obama ran for President he was paying off his student loans. The hundreds of thousands of dollars he earned on his two best selling novels helped a lot.

You scare me because you did not spend the formative years
of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not
an American.
 Obama grew up with his WHITE MOTHER in Hawaii, with a few younger years in Indonesia. Formative years begin when? In one of Obama’s speeches he talked about how his mother got him up early to go over homework. When he complained she said, “Well, it isn’t any picnic for me either buster!”. This sounds pretty American to me.

You scare me because you have never run a company or met
a payroll.
 This is an old right wing conservative whine. I’m not sure how many of our presidents ran companies or met payrolls. Unless you count Bush who managed to bankrupt companies.

You scare me because you have never had military
experience, thus don't understand it at its core.
 Another bunch of baloney. Did Reagan ever carry a gun into battle? Obama kept Secretary of Defense Robert Gates when the Bush Administration left. It sounds as if he knows where to go to FIND military experience.

You scare me because you lack humility and
'class', always blaming others.

 Where is the proof of this? He has bent over backwards to listen to the people in the Congress who disagree with him. He has apologized on more than one occasion. This is ridiculous filler to me.

You scare me because for over half your life you have
aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and
you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to
see America fail.
 Obama’s first jobs were with poor black neighborhoods in Chicago. He was Editor of the Harvard Law Review in College. Harvard is hardly a hotbed of radicals who wish to see America fail!

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the
'blame America ' crowd and deliver this message abroad.
 Obama went overseas and helped restore America’s image after a battering from the Bush Administration. When did he ever “Blame America”? He is a cheerleader for America, for Americans, for our values, inventiveness, hardwork and respect for other peoples of the world. I’m particularly proud of him for this.

You scare me because you want to change America to a
European style country where the government sector dominates
instead of the private sector.
Where again is the proof of this? After a colossal failure of our economy and after years of greed and mismanagement a crisis came while the BUSH ADMINISTRATION WAS STILL IN OFFICE!!!! Obama and his administration continued the Bush policies and poured money into the banks and the private economy to keep us from sliding into full scale Depression. How does this make us like a European Country? How is the government dominating? Obama has critics on his own side who wanted him to give government a bigger role.

You scare me because you want to replace our health care
system with a government controlled one.
This is one of the biggest lies of all. Obama doesn’t want to replace our health care system. He wants to make it fair. He wants to make the insurance companies be fair and not deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and drop people (who thought they had insurance) from having coverage just when it comes time to need it. Obama and many experienced health care experts including most doctors and hospitals know it is time, past time, to do something.
The idea of having a small piece of the pie be a “public” portion (like Medicare) doesn’t seem to be anything like a takeover of the whole system. Who is spewing these smears? Who stands to lose if things are cleaned up? Insurance Companies do you think? What is truly truly amazing is that the people who are buying this misinformation are just the people who would benefit from a better health care system!!!!!!!

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills'
to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale
reserves.
 The Obama Administration is working WITH the oil and natural resources people to beef up our protections and from ruining the environment (and our serious dependence on foreign oil). The Oil and Gas people are not yelling from the rooftops because they know better than anyone hat needs to be done. There’s a lot more going on than “windmills” — this is trivializing the problem.

You scare me because you want to kill the American
capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the
highest standard of living in the world.
 Obama knows full well the workings of the capitalist system and is trying to strengthen them. Unfettered capitalism just recently ran on the rocks and needed a boost and got it from the Obama Administration. Many of our biggest capitalists want free markets when it suits them and the “socialization of risk” when things go bad — when the banks run out of money due to crazy loan practices. When millions of people are foreclosed and states go bankrupt, someone has to step up. Who else but government? Also see the Savings and Loan Scandals. Forty million people with no health coverage and families going broke to finance catastrophic health disasters might question the “highest standard of living in the world” statement. Maybe for those people in gated communities.

You scare me because you have begun to use
'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.
 During the meltdown pressure was put on Bank of America to buy Merrill Lynch. Is this what this means? I don’t think people realize now how close our whole system was to coming down, going over the edge with no money in any banks and no way to restart the economy. As for companies like GM and the auto industry meltdown, something had to be done and quickly. No one is accusing the Obama Administration of helping the unions too much!

You scare me because your own political party shrinks
from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible
spending proposals.
 Three words, “Blue Dog Democrats.” Not that I like it. Even Diane Feinstein has said spending that mandates programs for California (which is seriously hurting economically) without providing the funds will not meet with her approval. But this is a long way from agreeing that Obama’s spending proposals are “wild and irresponsible.” I hate to think what this guy would say if Obama did nothing to stem the disaster. Wimp?

You scare me because you will not openly listen to or
even consider opposing points of view from intelligent
people.
 This is ridiculous. Obama has had a steady STREAM of opposing viewpoint visit the White House and talk at length to him and his Administration. Some of his own party thinks he listens to opposing viewpoint TOO much.

You scare me because you falsely believe that you are
both omnipotent and omniscient.
 I fail to see the truth of this statement. In an emergency he consulted with members of the previous AND new administration before taking action.

You scare me because the media gives you a free pass
on everything you do.
 I don’t see this. If anything, I think the media bends over backwards to present “both sides of an issue” to the point where sometimes they balance an intelligent point of view with sheer idiocy just to prove they are being “fair and balanced” — except for Fox News, of course.

You scare me because you demonize and want to silence
the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who
offer opposing, conservative points of view.
This isn’t true either. How has he ever “demonized” these people? How has he ever tried to silence them? He may not like them, but he has always answered their criticisms fairly — such as the attempt to keep him from speaking to schoolchildren as Reagan and Carter did.

You scare me because you prefer controlling over
governing.
I fail to understand this comment. We still have three branches of government.

Finally,
you scare me because if you serve a second term I
will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8
years.
Let’s hope we have a chance to find out (if you haven’t encouraged some nut case to shoot him before that day comes). I think our chances are better to express our views openly with Obama in office than with Dick Cheney for instance.

Lou Pritchett

This is a retired Proctor and Gamble Executive (Lou Pritchett) as the Snopes “True Check” shows. Big deal, the man himself is real, nothing he says has been proven by Snopes or anyone else. The email goes on to say: “All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.” He suggests this is why his letter should be forwarded on and on. It was enough to motivate me to do something.

TRUE CHECK:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp

This letter was sent to the NY Times but they
never acknowledged it. Big surprise! Since it hit
the internet, however, it has had over 500,000
hits.
Keep it going. All that is necessary for evil to
succeed is that good men do nothing. It's happening
right now.

The Proctor and Gamble Viral Email

2009-09-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

> > Please read, even if you are an Obama fan. It
> > is legitimate, written by respected, Lou Prichett, formerly of
> > Proctor and Gamble. Lou Pritchett is one of corporate
> > America's true living legends- an acclaimed author, dynamic
> > teacher and one of the world's highest rated
> > speakers.
> >
> > Successful corporate executives everywhere recognize
> >20him as the foremost leader in change management. Lou
> > changed the way America does business by creating an audacious
> concept that came to be known as "partnering. " Pritchett
> > rose from soap salesman to Vice-President, Sales and Customer
Development for Procter and Gamble and over the course
> > of 36 years, made corporate history.
> >
> >
> > AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
> >
> > Dear President Obama:
> >
> > You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived
> > and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.
> >
> >You scare me because after months of exposure, I know
> > nothing about you.
> >
> >You scare me because I do not know how you paid for
> > your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale
> > lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.
> >
> >You scare me because you did not spend the formative years
> > of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not
> > an American.
> >
> >You scare me because you have never run a company or met
> > a payroll.
> >
> >You scare me because you have never had military
> > experience, thus don't understand it at its core.
> >
> >You scare me because you lack humility and
> > 'class', always blaming others.
> >
> >You scare me because for over half your life you have
> > aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and
> > you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to
> > see America fail.
> >
> >You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the
> > 'blame America ' crowd and deliver this message abroad.
> >
> >You scare me because you want to change America to a
> > European style country where the government sector dominates
> > instead of the private sector.
> >
> >You scare me because you want to replace our health care
> > system with a government controlled one.
> >
> >You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills'
> > to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale
> > reserves.
> >
> >You scare me because you want to kill the American
> > capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the
> > highest standard of living in the world.
> >
> >You scare me because you have begun to use
> > 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.
> >
> >You scare me because your own political party shrinks
> > from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible
> > spending proposals.
> >
> >You scare me because you will not openly listen to or
> > even consider opposing points of view from intelligent
> > people.
> >
> >You scare me because you falsely believe that you are
> > both omnipotent and omniscient.
> >
> >You scare me because the media gives you a free pass
> > on everything you do.
> >
> >You scare me because you demonize and want to silence
> > the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who
> > offer opposing, conservative points of view.
> >
> >You scare me because you prefer controlling over
> > governing.
> >
> >Finally,
> >you scare me because if you serve a second term I
> > will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8
> > years.
> >
> >Lou Pritchett
> >
> > TRUE CHECK:
> http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp
>
> >
> >This letter was sent to the NY Times but they
> > never acknowledged it. Big surprise! Since it hit
> > the internet, however, it has had over 500,000
> > hits.
> > Keep it going. All that is necessary for evil to
> > succeed is that good men do nothing. It's happening
> > right now.

Maureen Dowd - New York Times

2009-09-13T19:50:00.000-07:00

She tells it as it is.

Oleander, Jacaranda

2009-09-12T21:02:00.001-07:00

Oleander, Jacaranda: A Childhood Perceived by Penelope Lively

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is one of those unadulterated joys. Penelope Lively shares her emotions, feelings, confusions and sensations on being a young child growing up an English Expatriate in a warm, rich cultural climate (Egypt) with free rein to explore and think and absorb impressions. This is a memoire, of course, I had only read her exquisite fiction before, but this is a treasure to read.

View all my reviews >>

Book Club - "Bone"

2009-09-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

Bone: A Novel by Fae Myenne Ng

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
We read this as a book group selection this September ('09). Our group had mixed feelings but I thought it well worth reading. The story is so personal and immediate. It seems as if it is a memoire. The action takes place in San Francisco, the family is stuck between first and immigrant generations. I felt the honesty and confusion of these people and the author. The problems of making a living, keeping ties to the family are strongly portrayed. The author has some lovely language, but mostly it is a day to day portrayal of people struggling mightily with understanding each other, why one daughter jumped off a building to her death, why the father, Leong, could not find a secure place in the economic order. The mother, father, three sisters and the "sewing ladies" draw us into the daily life of a San Francisco life.

View all my reviews >>

Still Alice

2009-07-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I just gobbled this book up. "Still Alice" was suggested by the Goodreads discussion group and I thank them for it. This was a story written from the point of view of a 50 year old Harvard professor with early onset Alzheimer's. Though we have lived with the long decline of a neighbor and friend, I felt I learned a great deal from this book. For instance, despite the loss of language and despite the confusion, Alice still felt very strongly the emotional climate of her family -- in fact was especially sensitive to physical clues of her loved ones and friends. She developed a closeness to her actress daughter lacking in her life before. Her daughter was able to learn things from her mother that helped her in her life and career. Yes, it's a sad story, but well worth reading -- simply written, clear, humorous and caring.

View all my reviews >>

July Book Group Reading

2009-07-04T09:42:00.001-07:00

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is my first time reading Margaret Atwood and I enjoyed the book. I don't think I would have chosen it if it hadn't been a Book Group selection -- which is one of the wonderful reasons to belong to a good book group. The book was a "grabber" which means in my lexicon that when you start it, you have to finish it. The writing was beautiful, leisurely and evocative. My favorite parts of the book were the scenes of life in the city and country in Canada in the 1860's. I loved one description of a maid's duties first thing in the morning -- emptying the chamber pot, starting the fire, pumping water from the well, feeding the chickens and horses, milking. With her descriptions of the weather, the scents of the countryside -- it was delightful. The mystery was well done, the characters all interesting and fully formed. There were enough layers of meaning and suggestion in the work to make for a good discussion and varying points of view.

View all my reviews.

June Book Club Reading

2009-06-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful book I think, but I'm not sure why I respond to it so strongly. I've been waiting several days to post my review and though I'm still unsure what it all means, here goes. First of all, the language is beautifully spare and evocative. Consider this passage:

" 'Lucy is our benefactor' says Petrus. A distasteful word it seems to him (i.e. David), double-edged, souring the moment. The language he draws on with such aplomb is, if he only knew it, tired, friable, eaten from the inside as if by termites. Only the monosyllables can still be relied on, and not even all of them."

David Lurie is a man who refuses to be accountable for his actions and his daughter Lucy is almost too accountable -- trying to deal with disgrace by taking on the problems of South Africa by abasing herself, going with the "flow" as it were. Our experience of living in Africa showed us how complicated a white person's response to a black person can be. Add in a little guilt and people do strange things. Incidentally, in the book when the character of Petrus is introduced, the author doesn't mention he is black -- the reader has to assume. The role that the dogs play is still a bit mysterious to me -- are they the lower rung of man's inhumanity to man? Does David begin to assume responsibility at this point? I'm still puzzled by his giving up his favorite dog at the last. Anyone who wants to email me their thoughts can reach me at greenridge10@comcast.net!!!

View all my reviews.

My Book Shelf

2009-06-05T17:46:00.001-07:00

Sylvia's book montage

Obama Family Election Eve Chicago

2008-11-13T22:45:00.000-08:00

http://flickr.com/photos/barackobamadotcom/sets/72157608716313371/show/

Richard III/John of Gaunt

2008-11-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

England, bound in with the triumphant sea
Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege
Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame,
With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds:
That England, that was wont to conquer others,
Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.

TARGET VOTING

2008-09-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

What is Target Voting?In an at-large election you will have the opportunity to vote for several candidates. You know who your favorite candidate is and who your third or fourth favorite is, but the machine that counts the votes counts them all the same. In reality, the more candidates you vote for, the more you may be helping your favorite candidate to lose. So what to do? I recommend that you limit your votes to candidates that you truly support and absolutely want to win. In a tightly contested race target voting will be the difference between having your favorite candidate win or lose.

Sunday September 21st

2008-09-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

Watch the *Boogie Down Bird* at http://www.members.shaw.ca/grandmafaiths/cockatoo.htm

Review of Golden State (Castro Valley) production of Carousel:

This is a lovely, professional production and we enjoyed it very much last night - opening night. The music is gorgeous and the orchestra, staging, singing, costuming is first class. Four of the principals are professional singers and the staging, ballet and costuming are lovely. The elegant "trees" that move about on stage were worth the price of admission they were so evocative and clever.
Neighbors and friends and high school students blend perfectly with the professionals and you feel the quality here -- well worth an afternoon or evening close to home in the comfort of this theater. Neighbors Tom and Sandra Baker play in the orchestra (Sandra cello and Tom violin or is it viola?), Sandra and Tom are also in the 8am exercise group at Kenneth Aitken Senior Center.
Of course, we have always loved Carousel and have seen it many times over the years. My only complaint was the costume for "Mr. Snow". He is usually shown wearing fisherman's clothing, not wearing suit and bowtie right from the beginning and looking as if he wandered in from a production of Brideshead Revisited. The singer had a glorious voice, however. The Snow Family costumes at the end were smashing!
The success of a production of Carousel depends heavily on Billy Bigelow and he (Robert Brewer) doesn't disappoint. "The Soliloquy" is staged and sung well and we got teary eyed as we usually do. The young women who sing Julie and Carrie are so pretty with beautiful voices as they should be. We saw Carrie sung in New York once by Audra McDonald who had a gorgeous voice but didn't look the part.
The Music Director is John Kendall Bailey (who was here for The Tender Land and other productions) - wonderful. We felt the last act was a tiny bit slow -- the production appears to be three hours long. But go not to "support the arts" (though that's a good idea, too), go for your own pleasure -- it's such an upper to feel the creative power of such artistry and such joy from all the performers!

At Sean Soblin's wedding to Samantha!

2008-09-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

2008-09-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Molly Ivins wrote:

The rich buy their way out of our public institutions - - - schools, hospitals, parks, libraries, roadways and public safety, shut themselves up in gated communities - - - then contribute money to politicians who let the public infrastructure go to hell.

Deer looking through window at Lucas the Cat

2008-06-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

I tedeschi

2008-06-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

Lines for an Old Man

2008-04-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

The tiger in the tiger pit
is not more irritable than I.
The whipping tail is not more still
Than when I smell the enemy
Writhing in the essential blood
Or dangling from the friendly tree.
When I lay bare the tooth of wit
The hissing over the arche'd tongue
Is more affectionate than hate,
More bitter than the love of youth,
And inaccessible by the young.
Reflected from my golden eye
The dullard knows that he is mad.
Tell me if I am not glad!

Wislawa Szymborska

2008-04-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

I AM TOO CLOSE

I am too close for him to dream of me.
I don't flutter over him, don't flee him beneath the roots of trees.
I am too close.The caught fish doesn't sing with my voice.
The ring doesn't roll from my finger.
I am too close. The great house is on fire without me calling for help.
Too closefor one of my hairs to turn into the rope of the alarm bell.
Too close to enter as the guest before whom walls retreat.
I'll never die again so lightly, so far beyond my body, so unknowingly as I did once in his dream.
I am too close,too close, I hear the word hiss and see its glistening scales as I lie motionlessin his embrace.
He's sleeping,more accessible at this moment to an usherette he saw once in a traveling circus with one lion, than to me, who lies at his side.
A valley now grows within him for her, rusty-leaved, with a snowcapped mountain at one end rising in the azure air.
I am too close to fall from that sky like a gift from heaven. My cry could only waken him.
And what a poor gift: I, confined to my own form, when I used to be a birch, a lizard shedding times and satin skins in many shimmering hues. And I possessed the gift of vanishing before astonished eyes, which is the richest of all.
I am too close,too close for him to dream of me.
I slip my arm from underneath his sleeping head -it's numb, swarming with imaginary pins.A host of fallen angels perches on each tip,waiting to be counted.

the poem is from Wislawa Szymborska Poems New and Collected, translated by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh.

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

2008-04-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

See http://www.poets.org/ and sign up for a poem a day sent to your email!

Prometheus Unbound, Act IV

Percy Bysshe Shelley

* * * * * * *

To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite;

To forgive wrongs darker than death or night;

To defy Power, which seems omnipotent;

To love, and bear; to hope till Hope creates

From its own wreck the thing it contemplates;

********

* * * * * * * * * *

SOME FAVORITE OPERA SELECTIONS

2008-04-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

http://youtube.com/watch?v=K5MDDoQVTfY Marilyn Horne sings a Spanish Canzonetta

Soprano Renee Fleming sings "Ebben ne andro lontana," from La Wally.
Absolute gorgeous!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdFBA2r-FiE

Traviata Animada - Clay Animated Opera / Opera Animada en Plastilina
Molto molto charming! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cZ6RRjsVmM&feature=related

Cesare Siepi sings "Ella giammai m'amo" from Don Carlos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecn6VzaI-UQ

Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez canta "La Flor de la Canela"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U3BQs99Y66g

CV LIBRARY CREEK NEWS

2008-04-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

Creek in the news
Monday, February 25, 2008
While many of us were watching the Academy Awards last night the Channel 5 news presented a piece on the daylighting of the creek next to the library.
Take a look.
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=31598@kpix.dayport.com

CASTRO VALLEY LIBRARY GROUNDBREAKING!

2008-04-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

Groundbreaking!!!
Thursday, March 6, 2008, What do the Castro Valley Library and Paul Revere have in common? APRIL 18th.
The poem goes “on the eighteenth of April, in seventy-five, Hardly a man is still alive who remembers that famous day and year”.
That date is about to be famous for another reason here in Castro Valley. We are finally breaking ground on our new library on Friday April 18th 2008!!
You are invited to join the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, and the Alameda County Library at the Ground Breaking for the New Castro Valley Library.
Please join us at 3:30 pm, 3600 Norbridge Ave. Castro Valley for this long awaited community triumph.

BOOKS RECENTLY READ

2008-04-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a great website for researching books, storing your reviews and sharing with friends. Please join me if you'd like to discuss what you're reading!

http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/901798

Check out my reading list on Goodreads - where you can see what your friends are reading.
http://www.goodreads.com/friend/i?i=LTM2MDYxOTcxMzY6MzIy%0A

FAVORITE MOVIES

2008-04-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

From Reviews of Gattopardo on Netflix site:
http://www.netflix.com/ReviewsAndLists?prid=109360264&myprofile=y&lnkctr=fsb2mrl

The Leopard (Original Italian Version)

This classic film set in 1880s Sicily, is based on the famous Italian novel "Il Gattopardo" (written by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa) that chronicles social and political change on the island during the Risorgimento. Prince Don Fabrizio Salina (Burt Lancaster) attempts to hold onto the glory he once knew, while his nephew, Tancredi Falconeri (Alain Delon), has joined opposition forces and is being heralded as a war hero. As Falconeri begins to fall for Angelica (Claudia Cardinale), the daughter of the town's new mayor, Don Calogero Sedara (Paolo Stoppa), Salina must learn to accept his changing political status and to secure the future of his family by adhering to the principles of his family motto, "in order for things to stay the same, they will have to change."

Gigi

Leslie Caron stars as Gigi, an avant-garde French waif being groomed as the fille de joie of affluent and handsome Gaston (Louis Jourdan). Soon Gigi metamorphoses into a stunning beauty, and the head-over-heels Gaston asks for her hand. But Gigi's courtesan grandmother is aghast: No one in the family has ever considered something as plebeian as matrimony! This 1958 gem won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director (Vincente Minnelli).

The Godfather

Director Francis Ford Coppola brings Mario Puzo's multigenerational crime saga to life in this Oscar-winning epic. When an organized crime family patriarch (Marlon Brando) barely survives an attempt on his life, his son Michael (Al Pacino) convinces his brother Sonny (James Caan) to let him take care of the would-be killers. Amid betrayals and corruption, Michael launches a campaign of bloody revenge that continues through the film's two sequels.

Upstairs, Downstairs: Entire Seasons

Thirty years before Robert Altman redefined the English drawing room drama with Gosford Park, this beloved Masterpiece Theatre series chronicled the lives and loves of the aristocratic "upstairs" Bellamy family and their loyal "downstairs" servants. In the show's fifth and final season, the Great War was over and the Roaring Twenties had arrived, giving the characters exciting new opportunities and challenges.

Ladyhawke

Phillipe Gaston (Matthew Broderick), a thief also known as the Mouse, escapes from his medieval dungeon prison and is chased by the guards of a villainous bishop. Phillipe befriends the gallant Captain Navarre (Rutger Hauer), who's been the bishop's target ever since he rescued the Lady Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer). But Phillipe soon learns that Navarre and Isabeau are victims of a curse that will keep them apart forever.

The King of Masks

Nearing the end of his life, Wang -- a locally renowned street performer and wizard of the venerable art of mask magic -- yearns to pass on his technique. But custom prescribes that he can only hand down his craft to a male successor. Anxious to preserve his unique art, the heirless Wang buys an impoverished 8-year-old on the black market. When the child divulges a dreaded secret, Wang faces a choice between filial love and societal tradition.

Waiting for Guffman

Community theater gets spit-roasted in this blistering mockumentary written by (and starring) Christopher Guest, who plays the ultrafey Corky St. Clair, a local theater impresario. In honor of Blaine, Mo.'s 150th anniversary, St. Clair mounts a mediocre musical tribute to the town with hopes of taking the production to Broadway. Eugene Levy costars, along with a talented ensemble cast.

Ordinary People

Everything is in its proper place in the Jarrett household -- except the past. Mary Tyler Moore won an Oscar nomination for her role as a repressed mother whose favorite son has died, leaving her with another (Timothy Hutton) she can barely tolerate. Robert Redford's first directorial effort netted four Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for a young Hutton.

Seinfeld: Entire Seasons

See how NBC's famous show "about nothing" -- one of the most popular sitcoms of all time -- first became "must-see TV." Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) leads the Manhattan foursome that also includes frustrated George (Jason Alexander), sometimes-shrill Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and, of course, Kramer (Michael Richards), Jerry's big-haired, eccentric neighbor with a knack for unique entrances. Keep an ear peeled for your favorite catchphrases. ...

Francesco Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur: Alla Scala

This sumptuous, 1989 production of Francesco Cilea's operatic masterwork features soprano Mirella Freni in the role of Adriana Lecouvreur, a popular, 18th century, French stage star bound by love to the Count of Saxony. Regrettably for Adriana, however, he's already promised to the Princess of Bouillon, and a fiery battle of wills ensues. Gianandrea Gavazzeni directs Teatro Alla Scala's orchestra and chorus.

Jane Eyre

Adapted from Charlotte Brontë's gothic romance novel, this BBC miniseries tells the story of orphan Jane Eyre (Sian Pattenden and Zelah Clarke), whose early years are marked by mistreatment at the hands of her caretakers. Jane lands a governess job at the mysterious Mr. Rochester's (Timothy Dalton) estate, Thornfield, and is eventually drawn to the tortured man. The only series to watch!

The History Boys

Nicholas Hytner, Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour reprise their Tony-winning roles in this engaging film version of Alan Bennett's play chronicling a rowdy group of boys on their way to higher education. On a quest to attend either Oxford or Cambridge, the teens grapple with the intricacies of university entrance exams and admissions, ultimately learning as much about the education system as they do about academics.

Schindler's List

Steven Spielberg's Holocaust epic won seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and is an unforgettable testament to the possibility of human goodness. Greedy factory owner Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) was exploiting cheap Jewish labor, but in the midst of WWII became an unlikely humanitarian, losing his fortune by helping to save 1,100 Jews from Auschwitz.

Splendor in the Grass

Young lovers Deanie Loomis (Natalie Wood) and Bud Stamper (Warren Beatty, in his big-screen debut) find their awakening sexuality at odds with their moral standards and with those of their 1920s rural Kansas community. Trying to resist their carnal urges leads to mutual heartbreak -- and to madness for the fragile Deanie. Director Elia Kazan's profile of the repercussions of pent-up pubescent lust netted an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

Tomorrow

Jackson Fentry (Robert Duvall) is a lonely Mississippi farmer whose introverted personality matches his solitary lifestyle. His wake-up call comes in the form of the pregnant Sarah Eubanks (Olga Bellin), whose husband has left her. Realizing that Sarah needs a place to stay, Fentry takes her in … and slowly falls in love with her. After she gives birth, the two are married, only to have tragedy strike a short time later.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Southern comforts abound in this classic adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Gregory Peck won an Oscar for his role as Atticus Finch, a widowed lawyer who takes on the task of defending an innocent black man (Brock Peters) against rape charges, only to wind up in a maelstrom of hate and prejudice that threatens to invade the lives of his children, Jem and Scout (Phillip Alford and Mary Badham).

51 Birch Street

Married 54 years, Mike and Mina Block were the picture of if not wedded bliss then at least rock-solid stability -- or so thought their son, documentary filmmaker Doug Block. But when his mother dies unexpectedly and his father swiftly marries his former secretary, Doug suddenly realizes there was more to his parents' union than met his eye. Turning his lens on his own family, he discovers much he never knew about the people who raised him.

The Wizard of Oz

The classic tale of Dorothy and her friends comes to life again with this animated adaptation of the beloved L. Frank Baum story. Toto, the Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion are all on board for whimsical adventures all the way from the tornado-laden Kansas countryside of Dorothy's home to the Wizard's sparkling Emerald City.

Topsy-Turvy

After their production of "Princess Ida" tanks, Arthur Gilbert (Allan Corduner) and William Sullivan (the wonderful Jim Broadbent) start a cold war that threatens to end their long-lasting partnership. When friends and associates work overtime to bring them back together, the result is their classic play "The Mikado." Thoughtful and winningly acted, Topsy-Turvy garnered four Academy Award nominations and won for best costume design and makeup.

Cabaret

Prewar Berlin's debauchery and turbulence is chronicled through the perspective of a British scribe (Michael York) and his comrades, among them flamboyant American nightclub entertainer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli). Existing in a morally ambiguous void, they doggedly maintain their façades as the world outside the cabaret gears for war. Director Bob Fosse uses the kitsch cabaret to reflect German society as it shifts from hedonism to Hitlerism.

Mr. Skeffington

Bette Davis earned an Oscar nod for her portrayal of a narcissistic socialite who gets her comeuppance in this bittersweet tale. To keep her embezzling brother out of jail, Fanny Trellis (Davis) weds wealthy Job Skeffington (Claude Rains) but seeks a divorce when her sibling, angry about Fanny's one-sided union, runs off to war and gets killed. Ever the coquette, Fanny takes up with a host of men … until diphtheria spoils her trademark beauty.

The Pallisers

Get caught up in this BBC drama based on the books of Victorian author Anthony Trollope. Meet Plantagenet Palliser (Phillip Latham) and Lady Glencora (Emmy Award-winner Susan Hampshire), British aristocrats whose lives Trollope aptly renders in his novels (which include Phineas Finn, The Prime Minister and The Duke's Children). The screen versions, like the novels, are rife with intrigue and deep-seated passion.

Wit

Emma Thompson stars as Vivian Bearing, a disciplined, esteemed English professor dealing with a sensitive issue -- her health. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Vivian is forced to reassess her life and decide what's really important. Wit also tells the stories of the people Vivian touches, including her healthcare team. Directed by Mike Nichols and adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Margaret Edson.

A Shot in the Dark

When a wealthy college student (James Bush) is found hanging dead from a tree, his roommate (Charles Starrett) enlists the help of his detective father (Robert Warwick) to sift through the clues and uncover the killer. The plot thickens when the gumshoes determine that a sizable inheritance was involved. Meanwhile, an autopsy uncovers an even more startling piece of information: The boy was dead long before he was hung.

To Be and To Have

The once-acclaimed French school system is under siege, with overcrowding making it impossible for children to receive the education they deserve. But there's one place that's trying to buck the tide. This documentary by Nicolas Philibert visits a one-room schoolhouse in rural Saint-Etienne Sur Usson, where Georges Lopez teaches his 13 students, ranging in age between 3 and 10, the old-fashioned way ... with effort, attention and encouragement.

Educating Rita

This warm and witty take on the Pygmalion story stars Julie Walters as piquant hairdresser Rita, who's determined to better herself, and Michael Caine as alcoholic professor Dr. Frank Bryant, who becomes her reluctant tutor. As Rita blossoms under his tutelage, Frank also learns a few lessons about life. The romantic comedy earned a trio of BAFTA Awards (including Best Film), a pair of Golden Globes and three Oscar nominations.

The Insider

One man told the truth. Another reported the story. Both paid the price. The Insider -- a true tale about a Big Tobacco scientist (Russell Crowe) who exposed industry secrets, and the newsman (Al Pacino) who fought corporate forces that would have squelched the story -- offers a glimpse into power, media and money in America. A thought-provoking and thrilling film.

The Lives of Others

Set in 1980s East Berlin, director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's debut feature (which earned an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film) provides an exquisitely nuanced portrait of life under the watchful eye of the state police as a high-profile couple is bugged. When a successful playwright and his actress companion become subjects of the Stasi's secret surveillance program, their friends, family and even those doing the watching find their lives changed too.

It All Starts Today

Daniel, a teacher, is one of those heroes we don't often encounter: the everyday hero who fights the good fight because it's the right thing to do. Director Bertrand Tavernier provides an intimate look at one man's struggle to make a difference in his students' lives in this powerful story about real life that defines the meaning of passion and commitment and illustrates the resilience of the human spirit.

Monty Python's Life of Brian

The crown princes of British comedy are at it again -- this time, in a send-up of the life and times of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most controversial (and offensive, to some) Python film, Life of Brian tells the tall tale of a peasant boy born the same night as the Christ child -- in an adjoining stable. Laughs mount as their lives increasingly intersect.

Normal

Roy (Tom Wilkinson), a small-town Illinois man, wildly declares after blacking out on his 25th wedding anniversary that he's convinced he's a woman trapped inside a man's body. It's up to Roy's shell-shocked wife, Irma (Jessica Lange), his kids and the entire community to come to terms with this stunning revelation. It won't be easy. Based on a hit play by Jane Anderson.

The Notebook

Based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, this drama chronicles an enduring love that withstands both war and disease. It begins in a nursing home, where a man (James Garner) arrives every day armed with a notebook from which he reads stories about a couple, Noah and Allie (played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams), to an unresponsive woman (Gena Rowlands). Who are the characters in the book, and why does the stranger insist on reading about them aloud?

Paper Moon

A con man (Ryan O'Neal) and his precocious "daughter" (Tatum O'Neal, in an Oscar-winning role as Best Supporting Actress) grift their way across the heartland of depression-era America in director Peter Bogdanovich's nostalgic look at the 1930s. As the two try desperately to scrounge up enough money to live on, their "father/daughter relationship" soon becomes a business partnership when they realize they need each other for survival.

Philadelphia

When attorney Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) reveals his HIV-positive status -- and his homosexuality -- to his co-workers, he soon finds himself unemployed. Seeking to sue for wrongful termination, Hanks works with the only lawyer who'll take the case: ambulance-chasing, homophobic Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). Hanks received an Oscar for his work in this Jonathan Demme-directed film -- the first major-studio picture to tackle the topic of AIDS.

Ponette

When her mother dies in a car accident, 4-year-old Ponette (Victoire Thivisol) is left physically and emotionally scarred and in the care of her grief-stricken father. Sent to live with family for a while, Ponette sullenly navigates a world made up mostly of children's faces and slowly comes to terms with her loss. Thivisol's powerful, haunting performance earned her a Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival in 1996.

The Remains of the Day

Dutiful butler Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) is the epitome of dedication as he tends to the house of his master, Lord Darlington (James Fox). Head housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) tries to coax Stevens out of his staid shell, but it's only later in life -- when Stevens realizes what his silent response to his master's Nazi sympathies has cost him -- that he seeks her out. This Merchant-Ivory period drama was nominated for eight Oscars.

The Pink Panther

Bumbling French Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin) must solve the murder of a world-famous soccer coach and catch the thief who stole his priceless diamond ring in this prequel to the 1964 classic. Suspects include a gorgeous pop star (Beyoncé), a soccer player and a Chinese assassin. Can clumsy Clouseau and his partner, Ponton (Jean Reno), solve the mystery and keep Chief Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) from taking credit for their sly sleuthing?

Umberto D.

Bankrupt and lonely, an old man (Carlo Battisti) considers committing suicide. Since he has only a devoted dog and a maid (Lina Genneri) as his companions, things look bleak -- until one day when the old man's luck changes, giving him new hope. Director Vittorio De Sica's touching portrait of one man's effort to retain his pride in the face of adversity is a treasure of Italian post-war cinema.

The Believer

Henry Bean's film tells the story of Danny Balint (Ryan Gosling), a young Jewish man from New York City struggling with the conflict between his beliefs and his heritage. Balint eventually joins a neo-Nazi organization, rising up the ranks to become a leader in the white supremacy movement. The 2001 Jury Prize winner at Sundance is a psychological examination into the forces of intolerance, both on the individual and society as a whole.
The Yacoubian Building

This sprawling tapestry of modern-day Egypt weaves together multiple stories of the residents of the Yacoubian Building, a Cairo structure built in 1937 to house the city's upper crust. The most expensive Egyptian movie ever made, it's also one of the most provocative, tackling a host of taboo subjects. The film, based on the best-selling Arabic novel, features a cast of top actors from the Arab world.

CAT WAKE-UP VIDEO

2008-04-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

OBAMA THE MESSIAH

2008-04-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

This is wonderful -- of course, I'm a Hillary supporter!

> http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com/

WISHFUL DRINKING - CARRIE FISHER

2008-04-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

She squeezed a lot of living into that month and a half.
(From tminsider@theatermania.com)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Carrie Fisher stars in Wishful Drinking at Berkeley Rep, the play she's penned about the days when battling hangovers occupied the bulk of her life (February 8-March 30). Princess Leia at age 19, manic depression and alcoholism in between, Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmom, and Paul Simon as an ex-husband, Fisher's life story has had more twists than a martini."

Invitation to Friend

2008-02-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/P8Gtlanlzb34arbsMYLv

2007-07-29T20:23:00.000-07:00